Are We Friends or Not?
by KibaHinaLUV
Summary: Hinata and Kiba have been friends since their genin years. What exactly happens between them, and what feelings arise? Kiba definitely knows how he feels about his teammate - somewhat. Can they ever be more than friends? Are they even friends at all? Rated T for language and later chapters. R & R, PLEASE!
1. The Story of a Girl

**A****/N: This story is basically made up of songfics. It explains the life of Kiba and Hinata… and what I hope to be their feelings for each other. It goes by age, year by year…**** I only put in some of the lines for the first part. I got sick of the rest and it was kind of repetitive.**

**Oh, yeah, I totally got sick of these songs after listening to them SO DAMN OFTEN.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own _Naruto._ I do not own _Story of a Girl. _**

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><p><strong>"Story of a Girl" (also known as "Absolutely") by Nine Days <strong>

**Age: 12**

**POV: Kiba**

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><p><strong><em>This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world.<em>**

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><p>Hinata Hyuga. The Hyuga heiress…<p>

How could I ever have feelings for her? It would be a hopeless, one-sided relationship. She had duties to fulfill that I would just get in the way of. I'm only twelve, why would I think of her this way? Is it a mere crush? Is it just puberty? Am I hallucinating? Hinata. I just can't stop thinking about her.

Her cousin is hailed as the Hyuga genius, and he hates the main branch. Her sister is stronger than her, and she's years younger than Hinata. Her father thinks she's weak and pitiful. He wishes that Hanabi was the heiress, and not her.

Also, Hinata likes a total idiot named Naruto Uzumaki. I honestly don't see how _anyone_ could fall for a guy like that. Well, he isn't that bad. He's cool and funny, and all… Maybe I'm just jealous, just maybe.

The idiot doesn't even notice her, because he's head over heels for Sakura Haruno, a pink-haired bitch.

My point is… Hinata's life is pretty horrible. She's rejected, underestimated, and misunderstood.

She's sweet and kind to everyone, and she puts other's needs before herself. She doesn't deserve what she has right now. And more importantly… she deserves better than Naruto.

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><p><strong><em>And while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her when she smiles.<em>**

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><p>She often looks so alone and sad, and it makes me want to give her a hug or something. She just looks so sad. She's timid and shy, so what? I bet I could help her blossom into a beautiful flower, become a beautiful butterfly, and break out of her turtle shell.<p>

I hate seeing her so sad, though. I wish she smiled more. So, I try making her laugh. She doesn't do much, though. It can be so hard to make her smile. Complimenting her doesn't work very much; she just blushes. But when she blushes… it's just as great.

I joke around- a lot- just to make her smile or giggle. Akamaru is a big help when it comes to making her laugh and giggle. And other embarrassing things that you don't need to know about.

My favorite thing to make her smile or cute and blush…? Obviously, it's teasing her about her crush on Naruto. It always makes her freak out. She starts talking really fast, making her stutter, and her face turns red, and she always looks worried. The best thing to do around her is letting her freak out and then saying all of a sudden, "Hi, Naruto!"

She always looks beautiful that way… and her scent… Do not even get me started on that.

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><p><strong><em>How many days in a year?<em>**

**_She woke up with hope, but she only found tears, and I can be so insincere, making her promises never for real, as long as she stands there, waiting, wearing the holes in the soles of her shoes._**

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><p>Every time I go get her for training in the morning, she comes out the door with puffy eyes. It's beginning to worry me. One day, she told me that she hasn't been getting much sleep. Well, that explains it, but why?<p>

She said that her father always trained her much earlier in the day, and he would always be upset with her. She just couldn't be good enough. She always hoped she would impress everyone- that isn't working.

I try to comfort her and be the best friend that I could be, but I keep making promises I can't keep. For example, I said,

"Don't worry, Hinata. I promise Naruto will warm up to you," or, "Hinata, I'll be there when you need it, always."

I know I can't keep those promises, but maybe she'll wait for me to fulfill them.

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><p><strong><em>How many days disappear? You look in the mirror, so how do you choose?<em>**

**_Your clothes never wear as well the next day and your hair never falls in quite the same way, but you never seem to run out of things to say._**

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><p>Well, I know she wears a jacket all day… Just like Shino and me. (We're Team Jacket!) But something's different about her every day. Either it's that- or it's just me thinking that she gets prettier each day I see her.<p>

I know she has a lot to say, but she just doesn't say it. I can't wait until she becomes free enough to say what's on her mind. Her voice is soft like an angel, and I just know it can lull me to sleep.

I love it when she speaks; it's like I just died and went to heaven. My head goes up into the clouds when I see her face. She's just so radiant… but at the same time, she's sad. Hinata just hides it.

She hides her true self. She has a lack of self-confidence.

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><p><strong><em>This is the story of a girl, who cried a river and drowned the whole world.<em>**

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><p>One day, she tried confessing to Naruto. It wasn't a very big success… Naruto ended up acting like nothing happened and just said while shrugging,<p>

"Sorry, Hinata… but I just don't like you that way. I love Sakura-chan. And I always will. Sorry."

I was there. I saw it with my own eyes. I was eavesdropping… you could say that if you want.

She ran off to the forest, crying her poor little heart out. I went and followed her at a safe distance, and before I knew it… She was at the bank of the river that we used to always go to for fun. I guess she found comfort in Team 8's fun grounds.

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><p><strong><em>And while she looks so sad in photographs, I absolutely love her when she smiles.<em>**

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><p>It was picture day the other day. All the teams were getting photographed. Hinata and I were watching Team 7 get their picture taken, just because Hinata wanted to say hi to Naruto. But… when Naruto came over to us… Hinata fainted. It was typical of her. Typical, typical, Hinata. I held onto Hinata so she wouldn't fall to the ground, and Naruto thought it was useless now, and he ran over to Sakura to flirt. I carried Hinata all the way to the site of the picture for team 8, which was a long way from Team 7's meeting place. I was tired when I got there, but I was happy because I got to carry Hinata all the way there. Kurenai-Sensei and Shino were currently waiting impatiently for us, and then we could get started on our training. They were wondering where we were, so I told them what happened. Just then, the photographer got all grumpy and started screaming,<p>

"Hey, do you want this picture or not?"

We all rolled our eyes, and Hinata was already awake and blushing, to my amusement. Once I knew the photographer was going to capture the moment, I threw my arm around Hinata's neck and shoulders, hugging her tight to me. I smiled smug as Hinata shrieked in my arms out of surprise. As I look at the photo now, I can see Shino standing there all by himself, ignoring our moment. Kurenai-Sensei, though… Kurenai-Sensei was smirking at the scene between Hinata and me. What was up with that?

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><p><strong><em>How many lovers would stay, just to put up with this shit, day after day?<em>**

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><p>If Hinata keeps this up, I don't know if anyone's going to want her for who she is. I know a lot of guys would love to be her husband one day, because she's a freaking Hyuga. The Hyugas are one of the most powerful clans in the village, and they're rich! That's all they want her for… the power and fame.<p>

They don't want to hear her voice every day, they don't want to see her smile, they don't want to be able to hold her hand, and more importantly, they don't yearn for her love and approval.

But I do. My goal is to make her smile or laugh. It simply sends a small chill up my spine. Her smile makes people want to smile, and it makes me feel warm and safe on the inside.

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><p><strong><em>How did we wind up this way, watching our mouths for the words that we say?<em>**

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><p>After a few training sessions, Kurenai-Sensei began watching over me intently. I was always saying the worst things at the worst moments, or I could ruin something completely. Yup, that's me- a loud, obnoxious, arrogant dog-boy. I've currently teased and hurt Hinata verbally multiple times, three times more than Shino. I don't mean to be a bully… but I love seeing her stutter and blush. It's a different case for Shino, I'm just teasing him 'cause it's fun.<p>

Kurenai-sensei, though, wants me to watch my mouth. So, what, I have foul language? You got a problem with that? Because if you do…

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><p><strong><em>As long as we stand here, waiting, wearing the clothes of the souls that we choose.<em>**

**_How do we get there today, when we're walking too far for the price of our shoes?_**

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><p>Like I said before, I do all these things to see if she'll wait. I want to see if she trusts me. Will she hold onto me, like she holds onto her crush of Naruto? But I think I'm pushing the envelope too far here.<p>

I said, "Naruto _will_ love you. He's a lucky bastard, to have such a flower like you crushing on him."

I'm stupid, aren't I? It clearly wasn't the right thing to say… especially with Kurenai-sensei around. I've learned my lesson. No bad words or sayings in front of the red-eyed kunoichi.

Her smile brightens my world, did I mention that? That's part of my ninja way- to make Hinata smile. But like I would tell anyone that, that's stupid!

Hinata, people say you aren't the prettiest girl around. You're pretty enough, right? I'm sure you have something to say to that. Say it already! Don't be afraid!

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><p><strong><em>This is the story of a girl…<em>**

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><p>She's crying for Naruto by the river, as of this moment. She's making the river wider… She's going to drown Konoha.<p>

I guess I do love her, when she smiles. When she's sad, I feel like all the guilt is hanging on my shoulders; like I'm responsible for her frown.

Her smile. The most gentle thing I've ever seen. Hinata Hyuga.

Can we ever be more than friends?


	2. Perfect

**A/N: WHOO HOO! It's KibaHinaLUV here! Well, I haven't updated **_**anything**_ **in a long time. I had major writer's block and school is a pain. Luckily, it's almost over! Oh, yeah, I've decided the following songfics will be in Kiba's point of view.**

**I kind of mixed up the lyrics from the clean and the "unclean" version towards the end... Yea. This chapter didn't turn out as good as I'd hoped it would be, sadly. So please, review! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Naruto.**_** I do not own the song **_**Perfect.**_

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><p><strong>Song: "Perfect" by Pink<strong>

**Age: 13**

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><p><em>I made a wrong turn once or twice. I dug my way out, blood and fire. Bad decisions? That's alright. Welcome to my silly life. I was mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood! I was Miss "No way, it's all good," it didn't slow me down. I'm mistaken, always second guessing, and underestimated! Look, I'm still around…<em>

Hinata's always the subject on my mind. I'll sigh, and think of her when I look at the sky. I don't know how _that_ happens. What does the sky have to do with Hinata?

She knows that she's strong, right? No matter how many times her father, Neji, or anyone else says that she's too weak to be the Hyuga heiress, she's strong. I've seen her grow, and that's quite a lot. She's still as gentle and loving, but her power and strength have increased more than I thought they would from when I first met her. Sadly, it isn't all that much… Wow that _totally_ ruined my perfect speech about how much she has improved. Whatever, moving on… I know that her love for Naruto has motivated her, though. It hurts just to know that. Sometimes, I wish that _I_ was her motivation, not that blonde idiot. Sometimes, I've been so desperate and selfish that I wished she had never improved.

Want to know what I hate? I know you don't, but I'll tell you anyways. I hate how any little mistake she makes is judged nearly ten folds more than my foolishness. Hell, I've made more bad choices than her in my life. Just because she's the heir to a powerful clan doesn't mean she's not human! Everyone learns at their own pace, right? I learned that from her. Maybe it's the way our clans are. The Inuzuka clan isn't always so poised and good-mannered, but it sure does seem like the Hyuga clan is. She needs to learn how to stand up for herself. If I'm able to get out of trouble, she should be able to. Well, maybe I should rethink that. After all, she's too innocent and caring to fight over something so trivial.

I know it hurts her; the way they never understand, the way they always underestimate her. Really, they should put more faith into her. Neji may be the prodigy and genius, but Hinata is the one of a kind Hyuga Heir who isn't a stuck-up jerk.

_Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever feel like you're less than perfect. _

_Pretty, pretty please, if you ever feel like you're nothing… You are perfect to me. _

I don't care what they say. I don't care what they think. Hinata's… perfect. Well, not _perfect_ but in my sense, she is. She's not a dumb idiot, she can fight, she's cute, and she doesn't want to pound your face every time she sees you. They say she has no backbone to be brave; they're just cruel. They say she's too shy and stutters too much to be a Hyuga. Damn them, no one cares!

She's too sweet and cutely child-like to be hated on. She's perfect the way she is, I'm perfect the way I am, and everyone else is perfect in their own ways. Each and every one of us means something to someone. I don't want her to feel like nothing; because she's so much more.

_You're so mean when you talk about yourself. You were wrong. Change the voices in your head, make them like you instead. _

_It's so complicated; look happy, you'll make it! It's filled with so much hatred, such a tired game. It's enough! I've done all I can think of. Chased down all my demons, I see you do the same. _

Hinata is not a flirt, she is not a jerk, and she is not a weakling. Sometimes I hear her whisper to herself that she is, but she isn't! I wanted to scream it in her face at one point. I couldn't bring myself to do that, though. If she thinks positive, maybe she'll feel positive. So I feel as if it's up to me that she is positive. That she _is _perfect.

I hate it now, the way she underestimates _herself_ and it's not just everyone else. She says she can't be as pretty as Ino, not as smart as Sakura, and not as good at fighting as Tenten. She looks down upon herself when she stutters in front of Naruto and can't tell him how she feels. Then, she's all depressed and I HATE IT. I wish she would look at me, I'm just like Naruto! I'm arrogant, I'm sort of stupid, and I can be a troublemaker! I know I just reached a new low. I don't care; I'm trying to make a point. What is it that he has that I don't? I've tried to do whatever it took… It doesn't work. I've tried to make all the feelings go away; they just confuse me the more I think about it.

Besides, all that I'll ever be to her is a brotherly figure. She'll be my younger sister that I need to protect and support.

_Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever feel like you're less than perfect. _

_Pretty, pretty please, if you ever feel like you're nothing… You are perfect to me. _

I want her to feel pretty. I want her to feel useful. I want her to feel brave, strong, and brainy. I want her to like me and notice me. I want her to know that she's perfect, and if she denies I'll keep telling her until she believes me. She _is_ perfect. If only Naruto could see it.

Sometimes I want to scream at Hinata. "HINATA, YOU'RE PERFECT TO _ME_!" Is that too much to ask? To get a girl to not be insecure, not so over-confident, but… have them know… They are perfect.

_The whole world's scared, so I swallow the fear. The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer. So cool in line and we try, try, try, but we try too hard and it's a waste of my time. _

_Done looking for the critics, 'cause they're everywhere. They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair. Estrange ourselves and we do it all the time. Why do we do that? Why do I do that?_

Everyone's worried for her. We all know she's socially awkward at times, but COME ON. I hate it when people judge her all the time. She has short hair, so what? Her eyes are white and creep people out. To me, those eyes are powerful and beautiful. I don't get why she separates herself from everyone. It makes no sense. She's… she's crazy. I have to admit it. She's just crazy to hide her true self.

_Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever feel like you're less than perfect. _

_Pretty, pretty please, if you ever feel like you're nothing… You are perfect to me._

I need to step up my game. Maybe I should start screaming a catchphrase and acting like an idiot (AKA NARUTO), which also means never knowing when to give up. I won't give up on making Hinata believe she's perfect. Her clan can't tell her who she is. It's her life. They always judge her by her fragile look and the way she speaks. Sooner or later, she's going to become anti-social and separate from team eight.

_You're perfect. You're perfect. Pretty please, don't you ever feel like you're less than perfect. Pretty please, if you ever feel like you're nothing…_

_You're fucking perfect to me._

When Hinata's standing next to me, I want her to feel comfortable and like _herself_. I'll tease her about Naruto, I'll support her love, and I'll make her feel wanted. I don't want her to be anyone else. Being you is perfect, right? So, she's fucking perfect. She's perfectly Hinata.


	3. What Makes You Beautiful

**A/N: Yes, I decided to use a song that was overplayed and was overly annoying. It was awesome at first, but people just began singing it everywhere I went and it was the only 1D song the radio ever played, other than One Thing... They have other songs, ya know. -_- I'm not a directioner, but I like some of their songs on the Up All Night Album. I planned to use this song earlier, and then a suggestion came up... What a coincidence! (Haha, I know that she finds this song annoying as well.) Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Naruto **_**or **_**What Makes You Beautiful**_**.**

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><p><strong>Song: "What Makes You Beautiful" by One Direction<strong>

**Age: 14**

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><p><em>You're insecure, don't know what for. You're turning heads when you walk through the door. Don't need makeup to cover up. Being the way that you are is enough. <em>

The first thing you notice about Hinata is this: she's dreadfully shy. Even without the Uzumaki around, now that he's gone to train with one of the sannin, she's still _painfully_ quiet.

Oh, yeah, speaking of the Uzumaki and his training with Jiraiya, I still remember that difficult mission we were sent on that sparked his inspiration to leave Konoha. Chouji Akimichi, Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, Shikamaru Nara, Naruto, and I all risked our lives for our fellow Konoha shinobi, Sasuke. We risk our lives in every mission we go on, but that mission was serious. We fought our own battles, one-on-one, against some crazily strong people. We all nearly died, for almost nothing! Sasuke's labeled as a traitor and a rogue ninja now. Sometimes, I wonder what he would be like if we _did_ save him from the wrath of Orochimaru's curse-marked crew. What would our lives be like if Sasuke _didn't _go off to train with the treacherous sannin? Would Naruto still have gone with Jiraiya to train? Would Sakura try to strengthen her relationship with Sasuke, leaving the hopeless Naruto out? Would he have noticed Hinata's feelings towards him? Would Hinata be any less shy as she is now? Would I never have a chance of having Hinata as a girlfriend?

Sometimes I think it all just connects. At times, I feel glad that we weren't able to save Sasuke. Maybe all the pieces will fall into place. Maybe we can all live happily ever after! Naruto can have Sasuke as his best friend and Sakura as his beloved, Ino can have Sasuke as _her _beloved and Sakura as a bestie, and I can have Hinata as my…

What was I thinking? It'll never happen. I might as well be forever alone, even with my charming attitude and dashingly good looks! Hinata will have Naruto. She can; it's possible. She just needs to stop being so shy. She needs to be brave and talk to Naruto!

I just think she's being too self-conscious of herself, though. She has to loosen up a bit, you know? She could fool around a little, or start a conversation for once. At least it isn't as bad as it used to be. Sadly for me, she told me that she's doing this all for the knucklehead, which confirmed my suspicions. In case you didn't know (you'd be stupid _not_ to), that's Naruto.

Recently, we've been going to a lot more missions than before. I realize that her love for Naruto must be really strong, since she's improved on many levels… and that feels like a bullet going straight through my heart. Training with Neji, who was also moved by the idiot we all know and love, must really help someone become a lot more powerful. (No shit, he's _the _Neji Hyuga.) She isn't totally useless in most situations, and she can be the most important asset of our team sometimes!

Now, still speaking of missions… A lot of the people we meet are younger men, from the age span of fourteen to twenty-six. Ever since Hinata's… boobs… have grown, the teenagers have been _very_ troublesome. I hate them. They're all perverted and stupid. They make it so obvious that they're staring at Hinata's chest. They need to learn how to sneak peeks in complete secrecy or have a legitimate excuse, like I always- I mean… They shouldn't look at her anyways! Heck, I even caught one drooling a little. Yeah, I taught that guy a lesson not to look at my precious teammate in such a way!

Hinata doesn't notice though. (Thank kami, she would faint if she found out any perverts were staring at her... No comments.) She never notices. She still thinks she's ugly. She still thinks she's weak and helpless. She still compares herself to the pretty Ino, the smart Sakura, and the bad-ass Tenten. She thinks they're all better than her.

But she's wrong.

They're all being themselves, and those are the abilities and gifts they have. Ino is a flirt and just loves herself. (Just like in the chuunin exams one or two years ago in the Forest of Death, she tried to use her "sexiness" to distract some men.) She really cares about style and her looks, so it really shouldn't bother Hinata. Sakura is training to be a medical ninja, so she has to study a lot and solve problems of all kinds. Plus, she's training under the fifth Hokage, Lady Tsunade! Is there any way she could be less smart? Tenten works really hard at her techniques and fighting, or else she'd drag down her team. After all, she is on Gai-sensei's team with Rock Lee and Neji. I'd be quite surprised if she was a scrawny weakling.

Hinata is pretty, smart, _and_ strong. She has all of their traits. She's dedicated, honest, thoughtful, generous, compassionate, accepting, gentle, considerate… Do you catch my drift? She always puts others before herself and isn't unnecessarily harsh. That's what Ino, Sakura, and Tenten lack.

I'm glad Hinata's on my team… I _won't _get hit in the head when I do something stupid.

_Everyone else in the room can see it; everyone else but you. _

_Baby, you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell you don't know. You don't know you're beautiful. _

Everyone knows Hinata is a shining beauty. Everyone knows that she's one of the most thoughtful people in the village. But does _she?_ No, she doesn't. Just by looking at her, you can tell what she thinks of herself. She probably hates herself for being so "weak" as her father called her. She wishes she could just tell Naruto how she feels instead of holding it in. She wishes she were someone else, and not who she is truly.

She's just in that phase of finding the personyou really are and what you really want. Well, she's taking a _long _time in that part of life. I still want to keep Hinata happy, like I've always said. I want her to feel beautiful and wanted, because she _is._ When I feel miserable, I think of her. I feel instantly happy and excited. I get a feeling, as if I want to stay up all night and party! I just want to dance with her and watch her be… Hinata.

When she's actually having fun or doing something for no one else but herself, I want to freeze the moment and live in it forever. I like it when she feels like there's nothing to worry about. A load can be taken off one's shoulders when they relax. That's when Hinata is the most breathtakingly beautiful. It swells my heart just looking at her.

Doesn't everyone else love that feeling, though? When there's nothing to stress you out, when there's finally time for you to just sit and breathe? When life is simple, if it ever is simple?

_If only you saw what I could see, you'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe you don't know. You don't know you're beautiful. That's what makes you beautiful._

Sometimes I wonder if Hinata will ever realize just how beautiful she actually is. She might actually accept the compliments that people tell her instead of denying it and brushing it off. She'll understand how smart and how excellent of a fighter she is. I'll love it when she does. It would ultimately lead to a more confident Hinata. She could be her own person, instead of hiding in that turtle shell of hers.

I know she will emerge from that shell one day. I know she will feel beautiful. She will find a man who will call her beautiful every day and he'll be there every step of the way. He'll love Hinata for HINATA. There's one thing for sure that I know. It won't be me. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't last, me being the canine-like teenager that I am. A girl like her couldn't possibly put up with me. Besides, the Hyuga clan wouldn't accept it. They'd call me a mutt, and if Hinata loved me, they'd call her a mutt too.

But sometimes I think that it's a good thing she doesn't know she's beautiful. It won't taint her soul or her personality. She won't care about looks or what people think of her. She won't have to worry about keeping up with even more expectations that are just unnecessary!

It is what makes her beautiful, her modesty and the way she doesn't take her beauty in vain. It's the way she always thinks about others before herself and never gives a shit on how awesome she looks.

_So come on, you got it wrong. To prove I'm right, I put it in a song. I don't know why you're being shy, and turn away when I look into your eyes._

"Hinata! You are the most beautiful creature on this planet! You are perfect to _me!_" I wish I could scream. I'd have to be an idiot to do that.

…Okay, I'm officially an idiot. So what?

It was one day, when we were training. Kurenai-sensei and Shino said that they had to leave. Hinata, Akamaru, and I kept training until we were both so tired that we just collapsed on the grass, panting.

_"That was some workout!" I joyously yelled. I heard Hinata's giggle and I smiled, knowing I made her laugh. I could've sworn I heard a million angels sigh in adoration at her soft laughter._

_"Y-yes, it was, Kiba! I'm very tired!" She replied, but the happy moment just wouldn't last._

_"Haha, look! Akamaru's so tired that he fell asleep on the grass! I'm sure Naruto would totally love you now! You're so freaking awesome! You gave us a hard time that last round!"_

_And silence fell. I couldn't even tell if she was breathing. All I heard were the light chirps of the crickets and the flowing river in the distance._

_"Um… Hinata?" I sat up, confused. I looked at her, and I realized I made a big mistake for mentioning Naruto. She was biting her lip and held her eyes shut, holding back her tears. A quiet whimper escaped her lips. "AH! Sorry, Hinata! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! Oh kami, kami… OH MY FRIGGIN… SORRY!"_

_She rolled over on her side and curled up into a small ball, letting out gentle sobs._

_"N-Naruto-kun will never… love me…" she said. I watched her writhe in agony, in pure heartbreak. Wasn't there something I could to about it without crossing the boundaries of friendship and into romance territory? Tears continued to pour from her eyes, falling down her perfect little face. Small whispers of Naruto lingered upon her lips. I couldn't imagine her pain; loving someone so much since they were little and having them just leave the village. We don't know when he'll come back. We don't even know if he'll come back._

_I kept my face to the round, wondering if she'd ever be happy. I felt guilt engulf my body, because it was all my fault that she was in pain. I questioned if I would ever have a chance._

_I didn't. I was no match for Naruto… but she's still my friend. I want her to be happy. If she's happy, I'll be happy._

_"Hinata…"_

_I kneeled and sat her up. She wouldn't look me in the eye. What have I done? I took my arms and wrapped them around her._

_"NEVER! BECAUSE I'M USELESS AND UGLY! I HAVE NO PLACE IN THIS WORLD!" She sobbed into my jacket. It was the most aggravating bunch of words that have ever come out of her mouth. Instead of sympathy or sadness, rage took over my actions and words. I grabbed her shoulders and shook them hard. I began to yell in her face._

_"HINATA! DON'T EVER SAY THAT AGAIN! LOOK ME IN THE EYE!" I turned her head in my direction, but she jerked it away quickly. "You will always have a place in this world!"_

_"WHERE, KIBA, WHERE?"_

_"WITH YOUR TEAM AND FRIENDS! AND ALWAYS IN MY HEART, BAKA!" And that's when I lost it. My hand rose back and hit her smooth cheek._

_Silence fell once again, and only the pants from shouting and fatigue could be heard. The moonlight hit her face at an angle and I could see the red impression of my hand on her porcelain skin. Strangely, she didn't look pained. She looked surprise and shocked. I called her an idiot, a dumbass! Plus, I slapped her! She had the right to be angry with me, if she was._

_"You're a friend to everyone! You're my friend! No… More! You're like another sister to me! That would make me very lucky, because the most beautiful creature to ever walk this earth is my little sister, you! You're perfect, no matter what people say! You're perfect to me! It's the truth! You will always be my friend, Hinata! You're the little sister I never had…"_

_Then, I left. I left her there, staring at my back as I walked away from her._

We never speak of it. I could swear that someone used a kind of jutsu to erase her memory.

_Everyone else in the room can see it, everyone else but you. Baby, you light up my world like nobody else. The way that you flip your hair gets me overwhelmed, but when you smile at the ground it ain't hard to tell you don't know. You don't know you're beautiful._

_If only you saw what I could see, you'll understand why I want you so desperately. Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe you don't know you don't know you're beautiful. That's what makes you beautiful! _

Maybe I found a real ninja way to follow; to protect my comrades. To put them before myself, like Hinata does. I know it's against the rules of being a ninja, having emotions and letting them get in the way of the mission. But I can't abandon them! I can help them, mission or not. I would still tease them and all because I'm awesome, but I just have to protect them from any harm. It'd be strangely suspicious if all of a sudden I started being all nice, right? So I shall stay the person I am, the arrogant dog-boy, while having that protective side all dogs have.

Protecting Hinata, making her smile, and helping her emerge from her silk cocoon are all still part of my ninja way. She has to see what I can see! She'll finally understand what I told her that other night.

Hinata is my friend. She's my near sister. She always will be, nothing more. She is not cute. She is not adorable. She is not not. She is not a babe. She is not devilish. Those words do not fit her.

She is a beautiful angel sent from above, my friend.


	4. Heart Vacancy

**A/N: It's almost been a year since my last update for these Naruto stories. *****Curls up into a ball and sincerely apologizes***** I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. My writing skills are rusty and the manga has quite possibly crushed my OTP. **

**Well, anyways, I apologize if this chapter doesn't live up to your expectations. (It's a very... "figuring out your feelings" kind of chapter.) ****I wrote this up late at night, so if there are any mistakes, could you please tell me? Thanks and enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Naruto **_**or **_**Heart Vacancy.**_

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><p><strong>Song: "Heart Vacancy" by The Wanted (By the way, I suggest you search these guys up. Brilliant.)<strong>

**Age: 15**

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><p><em>I hear your heart cry for love, but you won't let me make it right. You were hurt, but I decided that you were worth the fight. Every night, you lock up. You won't let me come inside, but the look in your eyes… I can turn the tide.<em>

I need to both thank Naruto and kill Naruto. Why? I'm so happy that Hinata has been training with her whole mind and body. Each jab, each sprint, each thrust becomes more graceful every day. Her eyes, focused solely on her target, shine with courage and power. Her strength truly overpowers mine, and her speed has yet to reach its full potential. I'm actually kind of worried she's going to surpass me, but that isn't the reason I have an urge to seriously injure the shinobi she loves.

Every night, before we part our ways after training, Hinata decides to stay behind. It was quite mysterious. I know Hinata for her honesty, modesty, and what else? Her kindness, her strength, her love, her beauty… Sorry, getting carried away. My teammate would have the decency to tell her best friends the truth about why she's doing this.

And that's exactly what she did. She said it straight in my face, and it didn't even feel like a statement. No- it felt more like an offensive punch that broke my nose. "I want to get stronger! Faster! Just like Naruto-kun!" Oi, Hinata, are you ever going to get over the idiot? I'm not saying your efforts are stupid, I'm saying that Naruto's never going to appreciate you the way I do.

But then again… I can't stand it. Hinata's doing this _all _for him. Not for her family, not for her team… Probably not even for herself! For _him_! It's pissing me off!

Every night, I can see the loneliness in her eyes, the anticipation! Her eyes swell up before I leave, and those beautiful white lilac orbs shine as if they were the moon. I get it- she's hurt. She longs for the one she believes is the love of her life.

She overworks herself every night. I can't even sleep anymore. I'm too busy thinking, letting my train of thought just _go_. I understand that she saw Naruto as a courageous, carefree, and confident boy from the start. Maybe seeing someone she wanted to be like made her admiration grow and grow and grow. It grew until it turned into love. I can literally hear her heart beat for him. It cries, it screams, it shouts, it whispers in all its pain. Even if there's a gentle smile on her face, I can hear the loneliness seeping out of her, wishing she could hold Naruto's hand.

When he left years ago, I think she was proud of him. Her heart swelled with inspiration and encouraged him to do his best. She wanted him to succeed. Hinata, the sweet girl she was, was one of the only people to support the boy who was cursed. But I think deep down she knew that she was sad. He left still liking Sakura probably, and Sasuke was more on his mind than anything else. Her mind locked that feeling up, making sure she trains hard just like her sappy crush. No matter what, I don't think she'll open up to anybody about her deep feelings. Everyone knows she likes him, maybe even to the extent of loving him, but I don't think anyone is able to comprehend why.

_In your heart, I can tell you can fit one more. In your heart, I don't care who was there before. _

_I hear your heart cry for love. Then you act like there's no room for me or anyone. "Don't disturb" is all I see. _

_Close the door and turn the key on everything that we could be. If loneliness would move out, I'd fill the vacancy in your heart, in your heart…_

I decided, one night, that I should train just as hard. Naruto is basically me. We're both brash, idiotic, straight forward, and quick to talk. He's everything I am – only better. He's a lot braver, that's for sure. He knows where his heart is, where he should go. Now that I think about it, I think that he's an inspiration for me too. Might as well aim for Hokage, too, eh?

I'm trying to understand her. If she's lonely, does she lock herself up and think about him? Or does she think about what she could be? If she opens up to somebody, maybe at least they would know how she feels. We all want the best, and only the best, for Hinata. A lot of people think that their problems are troublesome to others if they go and rant about it. The truth is, keeping people out of your life just makes it even worse. If she could just give us a chance to open our arms out, maybe… maybe she would be more confident.

Sometimes I think Hana gets to my head with all of her older sister talk.

_This ain't the heartbreak hotel, even though I know it well. Those no-shows, they sure tell in the way you hold yourself. Don't you fret, should you get another cancellation; give me a chance? I'll make a permanent reservation. _

_In your heart, I can tell you can fit one more. Open up, make a brand new start, I don't care who's stayed before. _

There's a vacancy in Hinata's heart. You know how they say "out of sight, out of mind"? That isn't always the truth. For her, it's more like "out of sight and I'm going to freaking worry and train and worry and work for him and only I love him and why can't I stop thinking about him someone help me please but don't invade my personal life" kind of thought. A never ending, run-on thought with no end, only ands and buts. Heh. Anyways, I know that she's breaking on the inside. Sometimes I don't think she is, because she's strong. Females are strong. Don't you dare think otherwise or you might just get beaten up like I did the other day. I shiver at the thought of it. Hana says that Hinata's fine and well. I asked her how she knows that, and she's says it's a woman's intuition.

Seriously though, is Hinata okay? Am I just overreacting? IS IT JUST HORMONES? Okay, no, but I am honestly concerned with Hinata's life. I'm just like her older brother, right? I guess that's the role I have to play… I don't have much of a chance to be her lover-boy, but I have the best chance at being the best older brother she never had. I'll be by her side forever, because we're family.

All she has to say is that she needs a hug… All she has to say is the honest truth about whether or not she's okay. All she has to say is whether or not Naruto's still on her mind. All she has to say is that she's okay and I'll get off her back…

Maybe I am just overreacting, dammit. I'm too overprotective I guess. (Well, it's a dog's life…)

_I hear your heart cry for love, and then you act like there's no room for me, or anyone. "Don't disturb" is all I see. Close the door and turn the key on everything that we could be. If loneliness would move out, I'd fill the vacancy in your heart._

_When I talk to you on the phone, listen close._

Can you fit one more person in your heart, Hinata? Maybe you can, if you squeeze everything in. I can make a spacing plan! Please, just give me a chance. You have space for comrades, family, yourself, and Naruto. Do you think you could branch of from the comrades and give me my own spot? You know, the spot for the hypocritical Kiba Inuzuka who has no idea how he should act?

We only want the best for you. Our arms are open wide, jump right in and you'll be fine.

You don't have to be alone on your journey to become stronger. After all, you can become even greater, sturdier, and more confident if you're with a close-knitted team. Shino, Kurenai-sensei, and I are always there for you.

_I hear your heart cry for love, and then you act like there's no room for me, or anyone. "Don't disturb" is all I see. Close the door and turn the key on everything that we could be. If loneliness would move out, I'd fill the vacancy in your heart._

_In your heart…_

As I lay in bed, I know Hinata is still training. She's probably thinking about how Naruto will finally notice her true strength. She closed the door on everything negative. She's been turning into an optimist, that girl. I'm proud of her happiness and training, I have to say that. But I don't want her to do it all for _him. _I want Hinata to realize that she's doing this for more than that. She's doing this for herself. She's doing this to become proud. Strong. Confident. This is all for her. This is all for Hinata Hyuga.

I could tell her that. I could succeed in turning the tide of her will, of her love, of her mind. I could make her feel loved; I could make her feel welcomed. I could make her feel like she's worthy. I could make her feel like she's wanted.

But I have a feeling that wouldn't be right. That wouldn't be the way to go. Deep in my own heart, I support her love for Naruto. The kind of determination she has to love him throughout all these years, no matter what people said about him… It's more than inspiring. It's teaching me to live up to my words and to look up to those who never give up.

Hinata and Naruto go hand in hand. They're determined and they know where their hearts lie.

I think that I'm in the same case as her. Admiration has blossomed into … love. It's weird to say that word. _Love. _Do I really love her?


End file.
